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The glucocorticoid receptor in homodimeric and monomeric form visualised by electron microscopy
P Eriksson1, B Daneholt, O Wrange
1Department of Molecular Genetics, Medical Nobel Institute, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract:
The purified glucocorticoid receptor (GR) from rat liver has been visualised by electron microscopy. The specimens were prepared by spreading on thin carbon support and negatively stained using uranyl acetate. Two forms of GR, the monomeric and the dimeric forms, were identified based on size, chromatographic distribution, and DNA binding properties. The GR monomer consists of two globular domains of slightly different size with a thinner connecting domain in between. In the absence of DNA the dimeric GR has a characteristic four-leaf clover structure. The size and appearance of this structure is consistent with two GR subunits arranged in a side-by-side fashion. Monomeric and dimeric GR specifically bound to DNA are also shown.